Digimon: After the Adventures End
by Barbara Fett
Summary: What happens to anime characters after their series ends? A metaphysical journey where old friends meet new friends and some secrets of reality are revealed. This one is complete; PG for some violence in the first chapter.
1. The Princess

A/N: This series is about what happens to the Digimon characters after their seasons are over. (Not everyone is in it, just a few selected people.) There are some interactions between the characters and the people who worked on the show. This is based entirely on the Japanese version of the show. Oh, and any time you see the title of a song like _(this)_, it means that's the background music for that scene.   


**Digimon: After the Adventures End**   
**Chapter 1: The Princess**

_(slow piano version of "Butter-Fly")_

Silence and darkness. As far as you could see, there was nothing but darkness, and there was nothing to hear except silence. It was a gloomy, lonely place to be. 

Through the darkness floated a woman in a pink dress and hat, and a green Digimon with a pink flower on her head. Slowly, the woman opened her eyes. 

Seeing where she was surprised and confused her. The last thing she remembered was coming home from a visit to the Digital World with her son and going to bed. Why was she now floating in darkness, wearing all her clothes from the previous day? 

"Palmon?" the woman said. 

"I'm right here, Mimi," said Palmon. 

"Do you know where we are?" 

"No, but I don't like this." 

Mimi felt for her Digivice. Good - it was still there. She tried to move around and found that the easiest way to do this was to use a swimming motion. 

"Wanna go exploring?" said Mimi. 

"Okay," said Palmon. 

For a long time, they swam along together, finding nothing. Then, suddenly, they saw a dim, red-eyed figure in the distance. They approached it quickly, excited to see someone else. When they got close, the figure said, "Greetings, human." 

"Hello," said Mimi. "Can you tell me where I am and how I got here?" 

"Certainly. You're in character limbo." 

"I'm dead?!" 

"In a way. Your _seiyuu_ has forgotten you, and so have many others from her world." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Think back to your childhood. Do you remember the time you spent in the palace of the Gekomon?" 

"Of course." 

"Well, how did you know that song you sang?" 

"The song . . . it's coming back to me now. On my first night there, Maeda-san called me to her for the first time. She taught me that song, and in the years that followed, we sang many, many songs together. The last time we did that, I was at a party with my friends, Sora and Hikari and Miyako, and some other girls I didn't know. We all took turns singing songs." 

"And now, that same person who loved you and sang with you has left you to languish in this desolate place. Isn't that horrible?" 

"It is . . ." Mimi felt her anger rising. 

"And anyone who does that must be _evil_, right?" said the mystery figure. 

"Yes." 

"You must have your revenge." In a flash, the mysterious being had Mimi and Palmon by the wrists and was sending them some of his dark power. 

"I . . . want . . . REVENGE!" Mimi growled. 

"Excellent." 

The dark power took its full effect. Mimi's eyes turned red, and Palmon began to glow and stretch. 

"Your companion has been given what only a few others have been privileged to have," said the mysterious being. "She now has the power of the Ultimate level." 

Palmon finished evolving. She was now a humanoid figure, like Lillymon, but she was wearing armor covered in brown thorns over a black bodysuit. 

"I am Briarmon," she said, "and I shall be your instrument of vengeance." 

"It will be so," said Mimi, in a very evil voice. "Thank you, whoever you are." 

"I am Dagomon," said Dagomon. "And now, to send you on your way." 

With his claws, Dagomon tore a hole in the darkness. It opened onto a city street. "Go with my blessing," he said. 

"I won't fail," said Mimi. She and Briarmon stepped out into the street. 

A few cars passed, but fortunately, no one stopped to stare at the two visitors, and there were no other people around. It was a bright spring afternoon. The sign on the nearest building indicated that it was a recording studio. A dark-haired woman walked out of the building. Mimi knew at once who it was. 

"_Hyaaaa!_" Mimi tackled the other woman to the ground. "Found you!" 

"_Mimi?_" her victim gasped. 

"You remember my name. Amazing, considering that you've forgotten all about me." 

"Mimi, no -!" 

"Briarmon, annihilate!" 

"Thorn Slash!" Briarmon smacked the woman hard with her arm, then kicked her a few times. 

"Get on with it!" Mimi commanded. 

Briarmon prepared to strike a death blow. 

"_Mimi, stop!_" the woman screamed. "I remember you and I still love you!" 

Mimi and Briarmon froze. "You do?" said Mimi. 

"Of course! For the past three years, you've been my career. You were with me when I sang, and I was with you when you spoke. You were my better self." 

"And what am I _now_? Nothing, that's what. You abandoned me and left me in character limbo, you heartless creep. You don't deserve to live." 

"Mimi-chan, that's not true. I didn't just abandon you because I didn't care. It's just that after singing Digimon songs for three years, I'm ready to move on and get a real career in music." 

"A real career?" By now, Mimi sounded almost normal again. 

"Sure. I have the talent, _ne? _I was in that building recording songs for my first solo album. I'm on my way to being a star, and I wouldn't have started out if I hadn't met you. I love you and I could never forget you." 

"Maeda-san . . ." The love between _seiyuu _and character turned Dagomon's dark power into light. The red left Mimi's eyes, and Briarmon glowed. 

"What?" said Mimi. "You can't be evolving again!" 

Even so, Briarmon became something different. She remained in the shape of a woman, but now she wore reds and greens and a crown of crimson rose petals. 

"Mimi," she said, "thank you for listening to your _seiyuu_. Maeda-san, thank you for breaking the dark power we were under. Your love has allowed me to become my true Ultimate, Rosemon." 

"Rosemon . . ." said Mimi. "You're so beautiful . . . Maeda-san, look what I've done to you! I'm sorry. Let's get you to someone who can help you." 

Rosemon picked up Maeda-san, limp and bleeding, and they all started walking away. 

******* 

Some time later, Maeda-san was lying in a hospital bed, her wounds bandaged. Mimi was standing over her, holding Palmon, who had regressed to the Child level. 

"You'll be all right now," said Mimi. 

"Thank you for bringing me here," said Maeda-san. 

"That's what friends are for. Thank you so much for all the songs. It's been a lot of fun singing them with you." 

"Hey, would you like to sing one right now?" 

"Sure! Which one?" 

"Let's sing that first song we sang together." 

"Okay." 

"Can I sing, too?" asked Palmon. 

"You can," said Maeda-san. 

So they all sang together. 

_("I Wish")_

"Hoshi ni negai wo kaze ni puraido noseta toki   
Kyou ga kesenai asu ga mieru yo kitto ne . . . 

I wish   
Doushite koko ni iru no?   
Oshiete kudasai ima sugu   
Mieru mono ga subete ja nai no ne 

Samusa ni furueru kara ude toosu jaketto   
Itsu no ma ni ka sukitoote itte   
Kibou ni natteku 

Mirai no ame ga hoho wo nuraseba omoidasu   
Atsuku nare ano hi ano toki 

Hoshi ni negai wo kaze ni puraido noseta toki   
Kyou ga kesenai asu ga mieru yo kitto ne..." 

When they finished the song, Mimi said, "That was fun." 

"I think your work here is done," said Palmon. "You should go back." 

"I don't want to. What if I never see Maeda-san again?" 

"I won't let that happen," said Maeda-san. "I promise that someday I'll call you to sing with me again." 

"Thank you," said Mimi. "Goodbye, my friend." 

"Goodbye, Mimi-chan." 

Mimi and Palmon faded away from reality, returning to the darkness.   


Disclaimer: Maeda-san belongs to herself. All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-) 


	2. The Light

**Digimon: After the Adventures End**   
**Chapter 2: The Light**

"Hello? Anybody there? _Culu?_" 

A small, white Digimon with enormous green eyes was floating in character limbo. "There have to be other people around. Otherwise, why would this place be here? _Cululu?_" 

He saw a bright spot far in the distance. "Aha!" he said. Extending his ears, he swam toward it. 

It turned out to be a woman in a pink shirt and pale yellow pants, and a Digimon. "Hi!" he said. "I'm Culumon. Who are you?" 

"Yagami Hikari," said the woman. 

"And I'm Tailmon," said the Digimon. 

"Is Tailmon your partner?" Culumon asked. 

"Since I was eight years old," said Hikari. 

"Tell me about how you met. Please, _culu_?" 

"Okay, I'll tell you. It was summer, and I was eight years old. Taichi-niisan went to summer camp without me, because I was sick. He came back home one day with his own partner Digimon, Koromon. Then his friend Koushirou sent him a message from the Digital World. He said not to go back there, but a portal opened and Taichi and Koromon had to go back. Later, an evil Digimon, Vamdemon, came to the real world to look for the eighth Chosen Child." 

"What's a Chosen Child?" 

"You don't know about us?" 

"No. I know some people who have partner Digimon, and they're called Tamers." 

"Hmmm . . . Well, Culumon, a Chosen Child is someone who is summoned to the Digital World to help defend it from evil. Do Tamers do that?" 

"Yeah. So, what happened next?" 

"Taichi, Koushirou, and some of their other friends followed Vamdemon and his army to the real world in order to find the eighth child first. It was then that they realized that four years earlier, they had all seen a battle between two Digimon, and that was how they had become Chosen Children, so the Eighth Child must have seen it too." 

"I was in the real world then," said Tailmon, "because I was following Vamdemon as one of his servants. He had taken me in when I was a lost, lonely Child and turned me into a vicious monster. Fortunately, one of the other servants, Wizarmon, was actually a good Digimon who found Hikari's Digivice and used it to help me remember that before Vamdemon found me, I had been waiting to meet my partner, and that partner was Hikari. So Wizarmon and I went and told Hikari that I was her partner, and then we tried to steal Hikari's Tag and Crest from Vamdemon, but he threw Wizarmon into the bay with the crest and captured me." 

"You remind me of Lopmon," said Culumon. "I know a little girl named Shaochung who was taken to the Digital World one day and met a Perfect-level Digimon called Anteiramon, who was part of a group of twelve Digimon called the Devas, who were working against the Tamers. When the other Tamers found them, they tried to warn Shaochung away from the Deva, but they had already bonded. Shaochung got her Digivice, and Anteiramon reverted to his Child form of Lopmon. So, like Tailmon, Lopmon was evil until he found his partner." 

"How interesting," said Tailmon. "I never expected that to happen again." 

"So," said Culumon, "what happened after you were captured?" 

"After . . . I don't think I can stand to say it . . ." 

_("Holy Light")_

"I'll tell him, then," said Hikari. "Vamdemon had captured several hundred children and forced Tailmon to look for the eighth child among them, but that child wasn't there - it was me. I came forward to stop Vamdemon's attack on the city. He was about to kill me when Taichi and the others arrived with Wizarmon, who gave me my Tag and Crest and . . ." 

"You can say it," said Tailmon. 

". . . jumped in front of the attack Vamdemon had intended to kill me with, giving his own life for mine." She and Tailmon were now both crying. 

"Kind of like that one time," said Culumon, "when all of the Tamers were fighting with Beelzebumon. A girl named Juri had just met her partner, Leomon, and Beelzemon killed him. It took a long time for her to get over that." 

"That's awful," said Tailmon. "He never came back?" 

"No, because, Beelzebumon took his data to increase his own power." 

"How do you do that?" 

"Beats me, _culu_. I've never done it. Is that the end of the story?" 

"No," said Hikari. "Tailmon evolved into Angewomon, and she and Angemon followed the prophecy our friend Gennai had found and shot Taichi-niichan and Ishida Yamato-san with their arrows, allowing their partner Digimon to evolve to their Ultimate forms and defeat Vamdemon, who had evolved to his own final form of VenomVamdemon. Then we all went back to the Digital World to save it from the Dark Masters. When I got there, I started hearing a mysterious voice, and when Yamato and Taichi-niichan were fighting each other, I found its source. I don't really remember what happened next, but Taichi told me that the voice possessed me, broke up the fight, and told everyone all about how we became Chosen Children. A while later, Takeru and Sora and I found a number of Numemon enslaved by WaruMonzaemon. I suddenly began to glow, and the light energized all our Digimon and allowed them to evolve and defeat him." 

"That's what I did," said Culumon. "Before I came here, I used to help the Tamer's Digimon evolve. Whenever one of them reached a new level for the first time, this symbol would glow read. Later, I found out that I was the bearer of the Shining Evolution, and when I released it, Digimon all over the Digital World evolved to their Ultimate forms to join in the fight against a scary blob thing called the D-Reaper." 

"I thought I was the only one," said Hikari. "You're very interesting, Culumon." 

"Thank you, _culu_." 

"Hey, what's that?" said Tailmon. 

She was referring to a figure she saw moving in the distance. Culumon knew who it was. "It's Juri! Come on!" 

He swam toward Juri, calling, "Juri! It's me, Culumon!" Hikari and Tailmon followed. When they met, Juri cried out "Culumon!" and hugged him. 

"It's been so long, Juri," said Culumon. "Have you seen Shaochung around?" 

"No, but I saw her brother. Terriermon says hi. Why do you ask?" 

"This is Yagami Hikari, and Tailmon is her partner. We were just talking about things we've seen and done, and she has things in common with you, me, and Shaochung." 

"You're . . . like me?" Juri asked Hikari. 

"Yes," said Hikari. "I've seen friends die right in front of me, too." 

"While in battle with Digimon?" 

"Yes. I was just a newcomer then, but I had known about Digimon for years." 

"Really? How?" 

Hikari told her all about the incident at Hikarigaoka. Juri's response was, "I wish the Digital World had selected my group that way." 

"Didn't it?" said Hikari. "What happened?" 

"Well, most of us just met our own partners and then got our D-Arks." Juri showed hers to Hikari. "The slot is there so we can use cards to boost our Digimon's power." 

"_Sugoi_! There were times when I wished I could take part in battle like that. I think you've been part of something wonderful." 

"I know." 

"Hey," said Culumon, "why don't we all stick together? We wouldn't be lonely then." 

"Good idea," said Juri. 

"Yes, it is," said Hikari. 

The three new friends continued to float and talk to each other about their adventures.   


Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-) 


	3. The Legend

**Digimon: After the Adventures End**   
**Chapter 3: The Legend  
  
**Some distance away, Mimi saw a large creature with frayed wings. It scared her for a moment - might this be another evil Digimon? She looked harder and saw a human figure floating next to it - a partner, perhaps. She decided to approach them and investigate.  
  
"Hello there," she called out when she was closer. "Who are you?"  
  
"Akiyama Ryo," answered the boy. "And you?"  
  
"Tachikawa Mimi," she said, coming closer.  
  
"I'm her partner, Palmon," added Palmon.  
  
"What?" said Ryo. "I thought only kids got Digimon partners."  
  
"I was a kid when we met," said Mimi.  
  
Ryo's Digimon growled threateningly. "No, Cyberdramon!" Ryo commanded. "Control yourself. They're not our enemies."  
  
"Why does he want to attack us?" Palmon asked.  
  
"He has a wild streak," said Ryo. "He gets it from Millenniumon."  
  
"Millenniumon?" said Mimi. "Who's that?"  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
"Tell us, please. We'd like to hear it."  
  
"All right. It started when I was little. I was visiting my friend, Ichijouji Ken -"  
  
"Wait. You know Ken?"  
  
"Yes. Do you?"  
  
"Yes. He's part of the second group of Chosen Children from our city. He used to be the evil Digimon Kaizer until we helped him see that Digimon are living things."  
  
"Oh, my. Poor Ken . . . Anyway, he and I saw the battle that took place between Diablomon and Omegamon - did you see it?"  
  
"No. Some of my friends saw it, though, and they told me all about it."  
  
"Ah. Well, after the battle, Ken and I were taken to the Digital World, where he met Wormmon and I met V-mon. We stayed there for a while, and our Digimon eventually became Paildramon and defeated Millenniumon. At the end of the battle, I sealed his spirit into a crystal that later became Moon=Millenniumon. However, before it was sealed, a fragment of it came flying right at me. Ken pushed me out of the way and took it in the back of the neck."  
  
"The Dark Seed! We always wondered where it came from."  
  
"Was that how he became evil?"  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
"I . . . why did I let him do that? Why wasn't it me?"  
  
"Ken saved you from it. He was a true friend."  
  
"Yes. Moving on . . . I went home after that, but I went back later to participate in - and win - the D-1 Tournament, which was really training to prepare me to battle Moon=Millenniumon."  
  
"Did you still have Veemon?"  
  
"No. A whole lot of different Digimon fought that battle, but none of them were my true partner. I didn't get a true partner until much later. During that battle, Moon=Millenniumon told me that he and I were shadow and light and couldn't exist without each other. Then he caused an explosion that sent me to the primitive Digital World of 1946 and made lose most of my memories. That was when I first met Monodramon, the Child form of Cyberdramon. He took me to see Eniyaku-sama, the computer that got the whole Digital World reality started. The computer allowed me to travel through space and time and regain my lost memories. One of the people I met on those travels was Daisuke, V-mon's true partner."  
  
"Oh! I know him, too. What did he think of you?"  
  
"He was jealous of me for having V-mon first."  
  
"Oh. So did you see Millenniumon again?"  
  
"Yes, and that was the climactic moment. Millenniumon finally revealed that he was my true partner. Monodramon didn't believe it, but Millenniumon forced a Jogress evolution between them, which formed an egg that hatched and became Cyberdramon here. That's why he's this way."  
  
"Wow. Amazing. But how come none of the other Chosen Children were ever called in to help you?"  
  
"I don't know. I think I just had a separate destiny from theirs. And that wasn't the last amazing thing that happened to me. I came here not long after the egg hatched. When my Digimon reached his Perfect form, we were taken to this weird, dark room with a lot of papers in it, and a lot of people standing around. There was a man in the middle of it all, and he looked at me and smiled. Suddenly, there was another me standing on the other side of the room, along with another Cyberdramon. Then we were sent back here, and we've been here ever since."  
  
"Hmm . . ." said Mimi. "I think I know what happened there."  
  
"You do? What?"  
  
"That man's name is Chiaki Konaka, and you were in his mind. I've had the same experience with my own seiyuu and good friend, Maeda Ai."  
  
"What on earth was I doing in some guy's mind?"  
  
"Chiaki-san was the director responsible for everything that happened to the children called the Digimon Tamers. He chose to include a copy of you in the new season."  
  
"New season? What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, as older Chosen like me know, the world we belong to was grown from the creative powers of people from the world where Chiaki-san is. For two years of that world's time, the people there watched me and the others from our world as we had our adventures with Digimon."  
  
"Even me?"  
  
"Maybe. I'm not sure. Anyway, a year ago all of us were cast into this limbo and Chiaki-san's company decided to start again with a new world and new heroes called Digimon Tamers. That other you is one of them."  
  
"Wow. So what's it like for them?"  
  
"They have Digimon partners like us, but their D-Ark Digivices allow them to use Digimon game cards to give their partners more power. They ultimately defeated an out-of-control program called D-Reaper. I know all this because I was with Maeda-san when she recorded her share of the music for the season. We've been singing together for three years, so my presence is felt in both worlds."  
  
"Mine is, too, if there's a copy of me running around. I wonder if he's here now."  
  
"He must be. The company wouldn't want him back."  
  
"Aw, too bad."  
  
Cyberdramon sniffed the still air. "Others are nearby," he growled, and began flying away.  
  
Ryo, Mimi, and Palmon followed. They came upon a group consisting of a woman, a young girl, and two Digimon.  
  
"Weak little things," said Cyberdramon.  
  
"Hikari-chan!" exclaimed Mimi. "It's great to see you!"  
  
"You too, Mimi," said Hikari. "Who's this?"  
  
"This is Akiyama Ryo. He's an old friend of Ken's, and his partner is Cyberdramon. Ryo, this is one of my teammates, Yagami Hikari, and Tailmon."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," said Ryo.  
  
"Likewise," said Hikari. "Mimi, meet Katou Juri. Culumon isn't hers, they just know each other."  
  
"Hello," said Juri.  
  
"Hi, culu!" said Culumon. "Isn't it fun to meet new friends?"  
  
"It sure is," said Hikari.  
  
  
Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)  



	4. The Leaders

**Digimon: After the Adventures End**   
**Chapter 4: The Leaders  
  
**At yet another point in character limbo floated Matsuda Takato and Guilmon. Takato had appeared there right after discovering that the way to the Digital World was still open. It hadn't taken long for him to find Guilmon, but nothing had happened to them since then.  
  
"I want bread," said Guilmon.  
  
"I wouldn't say no to it myself," said Takato.  
  
Your wish will be granted, said a mysterious voice. I summon you.  
  
"Huh?" said Takato. "Who said that?"  
  
In answer, an invisible force took hold of Takato and Guilmon and began to pull them forward. They moved faster and faster until they flew through a door and were set down on their feet.  
  
The room they were in looked like an office, except with a really big, high-tech computer on one wall. Takato saw another kid like himself, four adults, and four other Digimon in the room.  
  
"Matsuda Takato," said the man whose voice they had heard. "Welcome to my mind. My name is Hongo Akiyoshi. I brought you and your Digimon here for the third annual Ceremony of Succession."  
  
"Who are you?" said Takato.  
  
"I'm just a man who had a creative vision. Years ago, I began developing an idea I had. The idea was for a story about a child's adventures with creatures made from data - what are now called Digimon."  
  
"But - Jenrya's dad -"  
  
"I know. In the world you came from, he and his friends programmed Digimon. But, it was me and my friends who built that fiction-world and designed you and everyone you know. We're just people, really, from a separate world. You don't have to be afraid of us."  
  
"That's right," said one of the other men, who had an Agumon for a partner. "Hongo-san is very powerful, but he's still a nice guy."  
  
"I even have that bread for you," Hongo-san said. "It's over there on the table."  
  
"Thank you!" said Takato. He and Guilmon went over to the table and - "Itadakimasu!" - began eating.  
  
"So," said Takato when he had finished, "where exactly are we?"  
  
"You're in my mind," said Hongo-san. "I can call you here because I'm one of your artistic creators. Your seiyuu can do it, too. Do you remember her? Ms. Tsumura?"  
  
"Tsumura-san . . . she's real? I thought I was going crazy."  
  
"No, she's real. The other people you see here have seiyuu, too. I'd like you to meet Kido Jyou, Motomiya Daisuke, Yagami Taichi, and Chibi-Taichi." Chibi-Taichi was the boy about Takato's age.  
  
"Hi," said Takato.  
  
"Hey, cool Digimon," said Chibi-Taichi.  
  
"Thanks," said Takato. "This is Guilmon. I designed him myself."  
  
"Really? Cool! I designed V-dramon myself, too."  
  
"But just call me 'Zero,'" said Zero.  
  
"May I give my speech now?" said the older Taichi.  
  
"Go ahead," answered Hongo-san.  
  
"Takato," said Taichi, "ever since you became a Tamer, you have been part of the line of goggle-wearers who have always led the way to victory in the Digital World. You are the fourth to wear them. Chibi-Taichi was the first. In his adventure, which continues even to this day, he has no regular human companions. I was first designed as a copy of him, for another story. We were identical except for our partners and the fact that I was the leader of a team of eight Chosen Children. I won't go into the details of what we did, but afterwards, Chibi-Taichi and I were called here to pass the torch on to Daisuke."  
  
"In our timeline," said Daisuke, "three years passed between my adventure and his. In our creator's, it was only a week. Anyway, the first time I went to the Digital World, Taichi gave me his goggles. I was in charge of a team of six, and we saved the Real and Digital worlds."  
  
"And then," Taichi finished, "the three of us came here and passed the job on to you. We're curious to know how it went. Did you also save the worlds?"  
  
"Yes," said Takato. "It started with just three of us - me, Makino Ruki and Lee Jenrya. As time went on, more and more of my friends became Tamers. In the end there were eight of us - ten counting Ai and Makoto, but we didn't meet them until it was all over. After I met Guilmon, Digimon started appearing in the real world, and the three of us had to stop them from causing trouble. When our other Digimon friend, Culumon, was kidnapped by Makuramon, we went into the Digital World to save him. Six of us went - me, Ruki, Jenrya, Juri, Hirokazu, and Kenta. Juri was already a Tamer to a Leomon, and Hirokazu and Kenta found Guardromon and MarineAngemon while we were there. We found Culumon in the end, and along the way, we met Akiyama Ryo and Cyberdramon, who helped us out a lot in our last battle. Oh, and Leomon was killed while we were fighting Beelzebumon, right befor Guilmon Matrix Evolved with me for the first time and we became Dukemon."  
  
"What's Matrix Evolution like?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"Like Jogress Evolution," said Takato, "only with a human instead of another Digimon. It was really cool."  
  
"Did you get back home?" prompted Taichi.  
  
"Yes," said Takato, "and we took Culumon with us. Oh, and we took Jenrya's sister, Shaochung, who had found her own way into the Digital World and met her partner, Lopmon. When we got home, we discovered that our true enemy, D-Reaper, had followed us. D-Reaper was a program designed to delete things that had gotten too big, but it had become so advanced that it almost destroyed both worlds. Ryo, Ruki, Jenrya and I destroyed it and saved Juri and Culumon from it."  
  
"Good work," said Taichi. "You truly are one of us."  
  
"That's right," said Hongo-san, "and because of that, we would like you to help us pass on the responsibility. Taichi, Daisuke, Chibi-Taichi, you know what to do."  
  
The three of them and their Digimon stood in a line that extended out from the main computer, holding hands or, in Agumon and V-mon's case, holding their partners' legs. "Hey, Jyou," Taichi said suddenly, "what are you doing here, anyway?"  
  
"We're on staff this year," said Jyou. "Or rather, our seiyuu are. Kikuchi-san is narrating and playing the role of Neemon."  
  
"And Takeuchi-san is playing the part of the new goggleboy, Kanbara Takuya," Gomamon said proudly.  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot that," said Hongo-san. "Gomamon, please join Takato and Guilmon at the end of the line."  
  
"When the line was completed, V-mon was holding on to Gomamon, who was holding on to Guilmon, who was holding on to Takato, who was holding on to a handle built into the wall next to the keyboard. "Now," said Hongo-san, "please just relax. This won't take long. Computer! Start!"  
  
An animation clip of four kids on a train appeared on the screen. The long chain of past goggle-wearers and Digimon began to glow orange. Takato felt their combined strength flowing through himself and the handle and into the new leader on the screen, but at the same time, he felt some indefinable thing go out of him, some sense of importance.  
  
On the screen, the mobile phones held by the four children changed into what had to be the newest model of Digivice. A mysterious female voice said, "This is your Digivice. Welcome to the Digital World." Then the screen went blank and the orange glow disappeared.  
  
"It is done," said Hongo-san. "Kanbara Takuya is the leader now."  
  
"Good luck to him," sighed Takato. "Oh, man, I feel tired now."  
  
"You need to rest. I'll send you and the others back to where you were."  
  
"One question."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What happened to all those places I knew when I was the leader?"  
  
"Like you, they have been discarded by their creators, so they too are out there in limbo somewhere. The challenge is to find them."  
  
"Does that go for our world, too?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"Yes," said Hongo-san. "Goodbye, minna-san."  
  
"Goodbye," said Takato.  
  
He was whisked back into the void in the same way he had left it. "I am part of something very special . . ." he remarked. "Oyasumi . . ."  
  
He and Guilmon were asleep almost instantly.  
  
  
Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)  



	5. The Union

**Digimon: After the Adventures End**   
**Chapter 5: The Union  
  
**"I think he's waking up."  
  
"Good."  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"Good thing we found him."  
  
"Takato-kun? Can you hear me?"  
  
Takato opened his eyes to see a familiar person standing over him, if "standing" meant anything in open space. "Katou-san!" he said. "It's great to see you again!" He looked around at the small crowd of people and Digimon gathered around him. "New friends?"  
  
"And some old friends, too," said Juri. "You know Ryo, and Cyberdramon, and Culumon. The others are Mimi and Hikari and their partners, Palmon and Tailmon."  
  
"Actually, Takato," said Ryo, "you don't know me. The Ryo you know is a copy of me." Quickly, he explained who he was and how the copy had come to be.  
  
"You've met Hongo-san too?" Takato said. "I just met him a little while ago."  
  
"Who is he?" Juri asked.  
  
"Well, you have a seiyuu, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hongo-san is another person from her world. He's the one who first thought of all this Digimon stuff. We all exist because of him."  
  
"What makes you so special that you got to meet him?" said Mimi.  
  
"I'm the goggle boy for the Tamers," Takato said. "Every time a new Digimon story begins, one boy is chosen to wear the goggles and be the leader. Do you know Taichi and Daisuke?"  
  
"Taichi is my brother!" said Hikari. "Have you seen him?"  
  
"Yes," said Takato. "Taichi and Daisuke and I were all in a meeting with Hongo-san not long ago. Together, we passed the leadership position on to Kanbara Takuya, the one who will lead the new Chosen Children. We used a computer to send him some of our energy, and we watched him get a Digivice. Then Hongo-san sent us away, but first, I asked him what had happened to the places we knew before, and he said they're floating around out here and the challenge is to find them."  
  
"Sugoi!" said Juri. "I accept the challenge."  
  
"So do I," said Ryo.  
  
"And me," said Mimi.  
  
"And me," said Hikari. "Oh - someone's coming!"  
  
Everyone looked and saw two people approaching, along with their Digimon. Ichijouji Ken was one of them. The other was . . . Ryo!  
  
As the two groups became one, no one said anything for a long moment. Finally, Ken said, "Ryo?"  
  
"Ken?" responded the person Mimi had found.  
  
"Ryo . . . it's really you!"  
  
"Ken . . . it's been so long!"  
  
Laughing, they leapt into an embrace. "Oh, Ryo," said Ken, "I thought I'd never see you again!"  
  
"You're . . . all grown up," said Ryo.  
  
"Yes . . . Wait. If you're the one I knew as a kid, then who is this guy I've been talking to?"  
  
"That's my Tamer self. You see, there are actually two groups of children with Digimon, the Chosen and the Tamers, in two different realities. I have two halves, one in each world."  
  
"That's right," said Takato. "I know that Ryo well. He's part of my group."  
  
"How did you get copied?" Ken asked.  
  
"Well, you know who your seiyuu is, right?" said the Ryo who had been Ken's friend.  
  
"Yes. Paku-san."  
  
"Well, the fact is that she is more than just a voice that you hear. She is actually a person who lives in another dimension. Hongo-san lives there, too."  
  
"Yes, I know who he is. Did he copy you?"  
  
"Yes, he did. He wanted me to stay a part of the adventure, I think."  
  
"I had no idea," said the second version of Ryo. (Call him Ryo2.) "So you know Mimi and the other Chosen?"  
  
"No," said Ryo1. "I just know Ken. In fact, I owe it to him that I went on my adventures at all. If it weren't for him, I would have been taken over by the Dark Seed. Thank you, Ken."  
  
"You're welcome, old friend."  
  
"Hey," said Ryo2, "Takato said that the places we know are floating around here, and we can find them. So, why don't we start looking now?"  
  
"All right," said Takato. "Let's go!"  
  
United at last, the representatives of the Chosen and Tamers set out to explore half-forgotten old worlds and seek out a new life for themselves. In the midst of the despair of character limbo, they had found hope.  
  
  
Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)  



End file.
